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Coal India Limited (CIL) has issued a tender for a 20 MW (AC) floating solar plant in Chilwa Taal near the HURL Fertilizer Plant in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, with bids accepted until January 14, 2026. The project will utilize approximately 150 acres of available water surface area.

The tender covers design, supply, construction, commissioning, testing, and maintenance for five years, excluding damage from natural calamities. It includes operational acceptance and requires a 33,000 V vacuum circuit breaker for the outdoor switchyard.

This tender follows criticism from the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) regarding CIL's delays in solar projects and its failure to meet a 1,000 MW solar capacity target by 2019. The CAG report also noted CIL's plans to add 1,158 MW of solar capacity by 2025-26 and recommended faster implementation of solar initiatives to achieve environmental goals.